Norway's King Harald V dies at 89
The Royal Palace in Oslo announced that King Harald V of Norway died peacefully on Friday at Oslo University Hospital. His son, Crown Prince Haakon, will now take the throne.
The Royal Palace in Oslo has officially announced the death of Norway's King Harald V at the age of 89. He passed away peacefully on Friday morning at 6:35 local time at Oslo National Hospital.
The day before his death, close members of the royal family visited the king in hospital. Meanwhile, members of the public gathered outside the palace to lay flowers in tribute to the monarch.
In line with Norwegian tradition and constitutional order, the throne will now pass to Harald's son, Haakon, who becomes the country's new monarch.
More than three decades on the throne
Harald V reigned for 35 years. According to the BBC, he will be remembered as a popular, reform-minded monarch who modernized the Norwegian monarchy and broke with old royal traditions. One notable example was his marriage to a woman of common birth, a departure from customary royal practice.
Observers of royal life have described him as unpretentious, respected and widely loved, calling him a unifying figure for Norwegian society. Informally, he was known as the nation's "grandfather" and the "People's King".
